Sometimes
by ankalima-silma
Summary: This is the story about how Honor becomes a newsie
1. I Annalise

Annalise Winters shrunk up against the wall, covering her ears against the shouts and banging in the next room. Her 16-year old mind tried to forget that when she had walked in on her father and mother the previous night...it wasn't really her mother in there...her mother had red hair and this lady had blonde.  
  
"It doesn't matter how you found out...it's all your fault..you and your bitch daughters...." her father's voice cried out. The yelling stopped suddenly and heavy footsteps echoed in the hall. Annalise sprang to her feet just as the door burst open.  
  
"You worthless bitch..you walked in on us.." her father yelled.  
  
"I..I'm sorry Papa" Annalise stuttered, backing up until she stumbled into her small bed.  
  
"Theodore...please...leave her out of it" her mother cried. Annalise saw her father turn towards her mother and pull something from behind his back.  
  
"Papa...No!!!!!" she cried as her father brought the blade in his hand down, he pulled back and a red stain blossomed across her mother's night gown. Annalise screamed, bringing his attention towards her.  
  
"Daddy?" a voice came from the doorway. Her father turned towards his youngest daughter, wiping the blood from the knife as he walked towards her. Annalise lunged herself in front of her sister, hardly flinching as the blade pierced her shoulder. She groaned in pain, causing her father to stumble backwards. She took this moment to lash out with her foot, catching the man before her in the groin and causing him to fall to the ground with pain.  
  
"Come on Danielle...run with me" she said, pulling her little sister out of the small house and into the streets.  
  
*~*4 hours later*~*  
  
"'Lise? i'm tired..." Danielle murmered, smiling hopefully up at her big sister. Annalise smiled and picked up the smaller girl, trying to ignore the shooting pain in her shoulder. She glanced behind her, vaguely aware that someone was following them.  
  
"'Lise? I love you sissy" Danielle whispered, throwing her arms around Annalise in hug.  
  
"I love you too Danny, forever and always" Annalise replied, wincing as her sister tightened her grip. She glanced around her again before carrying her sister to the entrance of an alleyway, near a building that was still open.  
  
*~* Kid Blink laughed slightly at his friends, who were still singing Medda's tunes as the foursome strolled home. He glanced to his left, two figures catching his eye. There was an older girl, long red hair..and a younger one, maybe 5 years old. The older one picked up the younger girl and Blink noticed she winced slightly, he also noticed she tried to hide it. He watched her carry the young one over to a semi-secluded spot, then his eye caught the group of 4-5 men that were following them.  
  
"Heya..guys...look...I t'ink someones getting attacked.." he said, nudging Mush and Jack. Spot Conlon turned around and laughed.  
  
"I t'ink you'se seein' t'ings Blink" he said, punching him lightly. Just then a shrill scream echoed over them, followed by a girl yelling hysterically "You killed her...you moiderin' bastards...you killed her". The four glanced at each other, shocked.  
  
"Well I know dat I ain't hearin' t'ings..." Blink said, starting for the alley where the two girls had disappeared. Jack called to Skittery and Pie Eater, who were walking ahead and together they followed Blink. 


	2. II Reunited

"Hey I t'ink she's wakin' up" a voice said.  
  
"Lemme see.Lemme see.."another voice responded. Annalise struggled to urge herself out of the darkness surrounding her. When she opened her eyes, she found herself face to face with another person. Panicking, she swung with her right arm and connected with the stranger's jawbone, sending him crumbling to the floor. Sighing in relief, Annalise started to sit up when she figured out that there were more people around her. A silence fell onto the room until a small boy made his way to the front of the crowd.  
  
"She hit Spot." he said in a hushed voice. Realization hit Annalise as she turned the name over in her mind. Spot was one of the ones who had helped her the previous night. Tears stung her eyes as she thought of the last 24 hours of her life. Then her cheeks flushed red as she turned on the bed she had woken up in. "I'm terribly sorry.I didn't know." she started. A boy stepped forward, another one from the previous night, and smiled. Annalise glanced at him quickly, taking in his shaggy blonde hair and single eye patch.  
  
"It's fine.he pro'lly deserved it fer hanging ovah yah like dat.me names Kid Blink..everyone calls me Blink" the boy said, holding out his hand. Annalise shook it and was about to comment further when the door the room swung open and a girl rushed in.  
  
"Is it true? Did someone hit me bruddah? I wanna meet dis person.now" she said excitedly, pushing her way up to the front. She paused as the girl on the bed came into view.  
  
"BC.dis is.." Blink started to introduce the young girl, but then realized that he didn't know her name. He turned to the girl on the bed, but was suprised to find her staring past him..  
  
"..Annalise?" the girl referred to as 'BC' said hesitantly, almost asking hopefully. Annalise started at her name and then raised her eyebrows at the girl.  
  
"Katie? My best friend Katie??" she cried timidly. At the sound of her real name, the girl ran forward and threw her arms around Annalise, who returned to hug fiercly. Race stood with his mouth open. Mush laughed and nudged him, shutting Race's mouth with a finger. Race shook his head and then nudged Blink, leaning over and whispering "Did we miss somet'ing?" Blink grinned and shook his head.  
  
"I t'ink Bottle Cap just found 'er long lost best friend" he said, gathering the crowd of newsies and herding them out of the room. "Meet us at Tibbys" heyelled back before disappearing after the group. ** An hour passed and in laughter, tears and surprise, both girls related their past year spent without one another. Through tears, Katie.now Bottle Cap.had told Annalise that Kloppman had arranged for Danielle's burial that morning. Then she promised that they would visit later. Annalise related her previous night, tears that she was scared to shed, now fell as she was surrounded in the comfort of her best friend. Bottle Cap nodded at the right times, keeping quiet as she remembered her own flight away from her home...and the pain of having to leave her best friend behind.  
  
"When ya left, I didn't know what I was gonna do..but I know dat you had ta.ya had ta get away from 'im" Annalise said quietly. Bottle Cap smiled weakly at the accent that had slipped through, it always had when they were together.  
  
"I know I missed ya like crazy goil..but you'se still me best friend, right?" she asked, winking.  
  
"of coise.always will be" Annalise replied, hugging the pale girl in front of her. She stood up suddenly, causing Bottle Cap to jump slightly.  
  
"Let's go get ya ta Tibbys" she said, pulling the other girl out of the room 


	3. III A new name

** "Crazy stunts? What kinda crazy stunts?" Racetrack asked, a gleam in his eye. Bottle Cap burst into hysterical laughter at the question.  
  
"Dat's a wondahful question 'Lise..have ya jumped off da Bridge yet?" she asked between giggles. Annalise laughed.  
  
"Nah..dat's me next task" she said, joining in the laughter that came from around her. Bottle Cap stopped laughing and started concentrating on something outside the window.  
  
"Hey 'Lise.idn't dat ya faddah?" she asked after a moment. Annalise whirled around, just in time to see her father entering Tibbys off the street.  
  
"Hide me!" she squealed frantically. Bottle Cap pushed her under the table and motioned for Skitter and Swifty to stretch their legs out under the booth to hide her.  
  
"Blink.get down there and keep her calm.she seems ta trust ya" she hissed. Blink disappeared under the table and found Annalise huddled in the far corner, next to the wall. He reached forward to touch her and found her shaking with fear. Annalise didn't notice when Blink wrapped his arms around her, but she did notice that she gradually stopped shaking and she smiled weakly at him with gratitude.  
  
"I'm looking for my bitch of a daughter." Her father said, walking over to the middle of the group of newsies.  
  
"What she look like?" Skittery asked plainly.  
  
"She's got horrid red hair.a knife wound on her shoulder from getting in my way.she's real ugly and worthless..you know the type" he sneered, walking over to Bottle Cap. "You look kinda like her girly.you'll do" he said, pulling her out of the booth and swinging her against the wall roughly. Before any of the boys could react, Annalise slipped out from under the table and threw herself in front of her friend.  
  
"Oh Annalise.aren't you tired of being the meddling bitch and getting in the way?" her father asked, the sneer ever present on his face. As he advanced towards her, Snipeshooter slipped back in the restaurant and whispered to Blink that the bulls were outside waiting for the older man.  
  
"Nevah..I took a knife fer Danny and I wouldn't hesitate ta take one fer my friend.leave dem outtah dis" Annalise said with what she hoped was a calm voice.  
  
"Now sir.I suggest ya leave" she continued, pointing outside to where the bulls stood waiting. Her father growled in rage and lashed out with his right arm. Annalise spotted the glittering of the switchblade and ducked to the floor. Blink ran after her father as the man sprinted from Tibbys, he and Skittery watched through the door as he ran down the street.  
  
"'Lise.ya alright?" Bottle Cap asked the fallen girl. Annalise nodded, looking up and holding a hand next to her eye. She had ducked, but obviously not quickly enough. "Lemme see 'Lise." Bottle Cap said firmly, trying to convince her to move her hand.  
  
"Nah..it's just anuddah one fer da collection.I'se gonna go back to da lodgin' house and clean up." Annalise replied, standing up and heading out the door. Once she was gone, Bottle Cap burst into a slight laughter. Blink raised an eyebrow at the girl.  
  
"She's always been like dat.you can follow 'er.you'll prolly have more luck" she said, waving Blink out the door. Once Blink had reached the lodging house and had traveled up the stairs, he opened the door to the bunkroom.  
  
"oh Honahable one.you'se in heah?" he called soflty. A snort came from one of the bunks to his right and he walked across the room to find her curled up and still holding her face. "Honahable one? Is dat me new name or somet'ing?" she said, sitting up and allowing him room to slide on the bunk with her.  
  
"Yeah.Honah.Honah's ya new name" Blink said decidedly. "Now let me see ya face" 


	4. IV Starting to live again

The girl seated on the bunk in front of him refused to move her hand, so Blink reached up and moved it himself. He winced when the deep cut came into view, wordlessly he pulled her off the bed and into the washroom.  
  
"And he said somethin' bout anotha knife wound?" Blink asked, leaning back from her face. Annalise, now Honor, stared back at him, almost defiantly.  
  
"I'se fine..it's not too bad" she said. Blink laughed slightly at her stubborness. He leaned back and glanced at her shoulders, then reached out and gently brushed his hand against her right arm. She winced and then glared at him.  
  
"I'll touch it again if ya don't let me help ya" he said. Honor glared at him for a moment longer before rolling her eyes and lowering the shoulder of her blouse. Blink's smile disappeared as he slowly unwrapped the hastily bandaged wound.  
  
"Not too bad? Honah..dis looks real ugly" he said quietly, cleaning out the best way he could without hurting her further. Honor laughed slightly. "Gee t'anks Blink..you'se really got a way wit woids" she commented, watching as he re-wrapped it. Blink stood and grabbed some of his pants and a shirt for her.  
  
**  
  
"Didya have any luck?" Bottle Cap's voice filtered over them a few minutes later.  
  
"Yeah..me and Honah are in heah" Blink called back. Bottle Cap appeared in the doorway of the washroom, a puzzled look gracing her face. "Honah?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah..Honah..dats 'er new name" Blink replied, smiling as Bottle Cap worked it out in her head.  
  
"What're we tawkin' about?" Honor asked, coming out of one of the stalls, one hand holding up the pants that Blink had given her. Bottle Cap burst into laughter at the sight.  
  
"What? Dey'se just a bit big.dat's all" Honor stated, laughing as well as she struggled to keep the pants from slipping out of her grasp. Bottle Cap was still giggling as she crossed the bunkroom and pulled a pair of suspenders out from her under her bed. She held them out to Honor triumphantly.  
  
"Recognize dese?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.  
  
"Me suspendahs..i'se was wonderin' wheah dey had gone ta..ya stole 'em.didn't ya?" honor cried, playfully hitting Bottle Cap. Blink observed this exchange fro the side, watching as Honor slipped on the dark green suspenders.  
  
"Do ya 'ave yer hat?" Bottle Cap asked. Honor paused to think, then her dark grey eyes darkened to a greenish tint. Bottle Cap backed away, recognizing the look. "I had it when I left.when dey came aftah me.I guess I dropped it" Honor said, sighing. Blink walked over to his bunk and pulled something off his pillow. "Is dis it?" he asked hopefully, holding up a dark green object. Honor's eyes danced excitedly as she took it from him and threw her arms around him.  
  
"T'ank ya" she cried, placing it on her head and grinning. 


End file.
